Photos: 1 - 12 Dave Bastock, 13 - 24 Kevin Wickham, 25 - 36 Jim Harrod, 37 - 48 Colin Casserley
Report: Mark Paulson
BriSCA Formula One stock cars were in town for third time this season, supported by 2L Saloon Stock Cars and Ministox. #197 Ryan Harrison showed once more that he remains the man to beat with two imperious heat wins, but a puncture cost him the final, allowing #1 Tom Harris to take the main honours. #730 Deane Mayes claimed his second consecutive Saloon Stock Car final at the venue, while #732 Brooke Kitson produced a breakthrough performance to claim a heat-and-final double in Ministox.
BriSCA F1 Stock Cars
Despite a number of late cancellations, there were still 40 V8-powered brutes in the pits, including the debut of new Wainman-built cars for Dutchmen #410 Jelle and #418 Niels Tesselaar. A two-thirds format was adopted, with the first heat reserved for lower graded drivers plus those from the higher grades with averages of 10 or less. Circuit racing convert #78 Lewis Galer led away in heat one before #319 Sheldon Wadsworth took over, with yellow flags required just before half-distance when newcomer #23 Alistair Plant was collected by #44 Tom Brown. On the restart, #249 Joff Gibson charged in on bend three and scattered the pack, with #326 Mark Sargent emerging in front of Galer and #191 Josh Smith. Smith then picked off Galer but couldn't make an impression on Sargent, before flames erupted from his exhaust on the final lap. Red flags were called a moment before the leaders crossed the line and Smith pulled off, creating some confusion. With some drivers unable to restart their engines after thinking the race had finished, the result was called with Sargent winning from Galer, #415 Russell Cooper and #47 Simon Traves. "Can we have a drugs test in the box?" quipped Sargent, whose team had made a super-quick engine change before the meeting.
The format meant all the big names were in heat two, and they certainly provided action. It didn't go the way of #1 Tom Harris, back in his old car, who was delayed early on before retiring when he clashed with a spinner. Top superstar was #16 Mat Newson who carved his way through the field to run seventh by half-distance, chased a few places back by #197 Ryan Harrison. The fourth superstar, #515 Frankie Wainman, crashed out with Sargent and #93 Sam Makim. When Makim was clipped by Harrison as he attempted to rejoin, and third-placed Galer also got caught out, yellow flags came out with five laps to run. Race leader was #541 Willie Skoyle Jr, who had rapidly overhauled Galer, followed by #381 Tyrone Evans. It all went wrong for Skoyles when he was whacked by backmarker #216 Jack France while trying to avoid the slowing Plant. Yellow flags were called with three laps to run to assist Plant but Skoyles was also out, as well as #5 Charlie Sworder who looked set to challenge. New leader #381 Tyrone Evans was immediately passed by Harrison, Newson and Jelle Tesselaar, who finished in that order.
Heat three produced a regulation win for Harrison. In a race that ran flag to flag, Harrison quickly passed the other superstars and then picked his way through the field with ease. He passed #249 Joff Gibson for second and took the lead from #415 Russell Cooper with six laps to go. Harris followed him through but was never close enough to challenge, while Gibson had a good run to third. Sworder and #47 Simon Traves were fourth and fifth, with Cooper a strong sixth. "I'm sure my luck will run out at some point," said Harrison, presciently.
The 31-car final began with a bang as Sargent was pushed up the fence and rolled onto his side, requiring a complete restart. That didn't get much further before #463 James Morris was also tipped onto his side. Harrison had already cleared the other superstars by this stage, and proceeded to charge through the field once more. When Wainman attempted to fight back, he and Harris were delayed as #381 Tyrone Evans and Traves were sent crashing into the infield, with Wainman then pulling off. #127 Austin Moore and #172 Micky Randall pushed past #545 Will Adams to take up the running, with Randall then shown as the leader, although he was in fact a lap down from a previous spin. Harrison had risen to fourth by half-distance, then picked off Skoyles and Moore, as Gibson moved into the lead, albeit still showing behind Randall. While a Harrison victory already looked likely, it suddenly became almost a dead cert, as first Randall spun himself out unassisted and then Gibson pulled off with a puncture during a suspension to rescue Cooper after his stationary car had been clobbered. But it wasn't to be, as Harrison was then forced out with his own puncture after knocking the tyre off its rim. Moore moved ahead briefly but was quickly hit wide by Harris, who went on to take the win. Moore just held on to second from #259 Paul Hines, who missed heat three after having to replace his clutch. Newson, #175 Karl Hawkins and #216 Jack France completed the top six.
"It was Ryan's race," admitted Harris. "My car was very good in the wet but it was terrible in the dry," he added, thankful for the late caution.
The grand national proved to be a relatively quiet 20-car race, as #545 Will Adams scorched to a flag-to-flag maiden victory by some margin. "I can't beleive it - my heart's in my mouth," said the emotional victor. #78 Lewis Galer was second ahead of #166 Bobby Griffin, while Newson came out on top of a last-bend sort-out for fourth, ahead of FWJ and #175 Karl Hawkins. Harris managed eighth from the lap handicap without the aid of a caution.
2L Saloon Stock Cars
A 28-car field of 2L Saloon Stock Cars served up some lively action, particularly in their third of four races. A quiet opener for White and Yellow graded drivers brought an easy win for form driver #238 Alfie Aldous. #184 Lizzy Crowden was heading for second until getting tangled up with #99 Conner Peckham, allowing #270 Matt Fuller to come through and take the place.
Aldous was equally dominant - if not more so - in heat 1 proper, leading from start to finish for a comfortable win. Battling over second, #192 Robert Heanes and #270 Matt Fuller had to fend off attacks from backmarker #525 Wes Starmer, who had dropped back early on. Fuller lost out but Heanes held on to take second, ahead of #730 Deane Mayes, who pushed #389 Ryan Santry past #6 Charlie Barnes, then passed Santry himself, before Barnes spun.
A much livelier heat two produced some terrific action and a fantastic finish. Aldous led for much of the way again but tangled slightly with a backmarker late on, which let the charging Mayes onto his tail. But Mayes had Fuller and world champion #131 Timmy Barnes in close attention too. As Fuller attacked Mayes, he was spun by Barnes. Mayes then pushed Aldous wide to take the lead, but Aldous wasn't done. He retaliated a lap later but Mayes held on. With Aldous slow out of bend two, Barnes and #349 Michael Allard passed him down the back straight on the last lap, and Barnes sniffed victory. He went in with a huge last-bend lunge but only succeeded in taking both cars to the fence. Allard held back and came through for the win from Aldous and #350 Tommy Parrin, as Barnes recovered to sixth and Mayes ninth.
Crowden hit the front with some quick moves in the final, only for early yellow flags to deny her the opportunity to break away. By that stage, Mayes was already up to fifth and moved straight into second on the restart, as Aldous and Allard tanged onto the infield, spoiling their chances of another good result. Mayes and then Santry passed Crowden who then got embroiled in a good tussle with Timmy Barnes and #248 Will Makins. Having dropped to fifth she then fought back to third but got shuffled back in the last couple of laps to ninth at the flag. Out front, Mayes was uncatchable as he took his second consecutive meeting final at the track, from Santry and Barnes, with #570 Simon Venni fourth. #319 Richard Regan was fifth ahead of a well-recovered Allard and long-distance traveller #902 Brad Compton-Sage.
National Ministox
In an addition to their fixtures, 21 Ministox contested a non-points meeting. #183 Mason Whittle won the opening heat after passing long-time leader #21 Jack Powley with three laps to go. He was followed by #335 Jake Woodhull, while #277 Thomas Rogers made rapid progress from the back to third but ran out of laps to close down the top two. Heat two was won by #732 Brooke Kitson, her first at the track, after she relieved #212 Ollie Armstrong of the lead early on, then pulled clear. Whittle traded second with #44 Tom Brighton before establishing himself in the place but Brighton held on to third ahead of #51 Joelan Maynard.
In something of a repeat, Kitson overhauled Ollie Armstrong to lead the final. After a caution period, she broke clear with Woodhull in tow. Those two could not be caught, as Kitson took her second win of the night. Maynard came out on top of a good scrap with Whittle and Brighton for third, while #120 Finn Hunter-Johnson headed a superstar scrap for sixth.